Paul's Prayer for the Ephesians

Covenant Life Church of Gaithersburg, Maryland is currently doing a sermon series on the book of Ephesians. I have been listening to them on Sundays via podcast, and I must say they have been very helpful and a great blessing. I have even been working on memorizing Ephesians 1. This past sunday, I listened to Jeff Purswell's excellent message on Eph. 1:15-23. I just wanted to share some of my notes on Paul's prayer. In his prayer, he asks God to deepen the Ephesians' knowledge of Him, and that the Spirit of wisdom and revelation would continue to work in their hearts. Here are 3 ways Mr. Purswell points out that God reveals Himself to His children:

(These are my notes from the sermon, hence they are not quotes, but not my words either.)
1. The hope of His calling (v. 18) - If you are a believer, you are called! You have a glorious hope! (1 Cor. 2:9 "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him"). Lord, show us what awaits! Life forever in Your presence! On that day we will see how every single second in our lives worked to our good! "When our hope lies ahead, our lives will follow." The Spirit produces this hope in our hearts. Let us pray for more of this hope!

2. The riches of His inheritance - (Deut. 4:20 "But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be a people of His own inheritance, as you are this day.") WE are GOD'S treasured possession! And it is all because of God's choosing, calling, and redemption. Not by any merits of our own. But rather in spite of our demerits! God has loved us! He has chosen sinners as His treasure! I am His and He is mine! This is the noblest and highest calling.

3. The greatness of His power (v. 19) - What is this greatness of God like? Look at v. 20. The power at work in us is the very same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead! We are new creatures in Christ! There is no power so great but Christ is above it ALL! Therefore we have nothing to fear. God's power is greater than all our uncertainties.


Let Paul's prayer and desire be that of our own hearts! Oh that we might know our Lord as we ought!

Every Thought Captive

The following quote is taken from James Montgomery Boice's book Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace?

"Mindlessness [is] the inability or unwillingness to look at life in a thoughtful way. Since we are called to 'mind renewal'... our present cultural mindlessness must be part of the 'pattern of this world' that we are to recognize, engage, and overcome... We will not think at all if we do not believe thinking is worthwhile."

We live in a culture that often scorns thinking. Even Christians daily face the temptation to be mindless. Mr. Boice points out later on in his book that he believes the main source of mindlessness in our culture is television. I couldn't agree more. Television eliminates the need to think and process information. It simply feeds our brains with whatever images are portrayed on the screen. If not used properly, television is a big-time mind waster.

Jeff Purswell, in his excellent message called "Don't Waste Your Mind" asks the heart-piercing question:

How can we waste something that's not ours?

If we are Christians, our entire beings belong to Christ. That includes our minds. As a matter of fact, mankind was created to be a thinking creature. Yet as sinful, fallen human beings we tend to discourage thinking. After all, thinking is hard, and requires alot of effort! As Mr. Purswell put it "We think when we have to." He continues with asking the question "What is happening" when our attitude towards thinking is like this? The answer? Our thoughts are not captive to Christ (2 Cor. 10:5), they are captive to US. Yet we are called to love the Lord our God with all our mind!

How can we make our thoughts more captive to our Lord? Mr. Purswell offers two very helpful and practical ways:

1. Immerse your mind in God's Word. "We must constantly be tending to His Word and reviewing His saving actions!" "Loving God with all our minds means thinking. Thinking God's thoughts after Him... The goal is not to be a better thinker. But to be a better lover of God and of His people."

2. Pursue lifelong learning for God's glory. "A Christian's mind ought to be the best mind." We please and glorify God when we exercise our minds the way he has created us to.



What are some other practical ways for us to pursue taking "every thought captive"?